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The classic book “To Kill a Mockingbird” had a similar theme of social injustice to the Unit one story “Remember the Titans”. The characters in these books displayed the common theme of racial and class injustice. Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird”, was a white lawyer who was fairly well off as far as money while everyone in the was middle class. The ignorant country farmers in town were below them. The African Americans were the lowest on the totem pole people. Julius Campbell in “Remember the Titans” was a not so wealthy black teen in a very white community of middle classmen. Both stories were set in the South and took place in a time where people refused to accept African Americans. “To Kill A Mockingbird” is set in the 1930’s and “Remember the Titans” was set in the early 1970’s. Here is how both of the themes of social injustice are very similar. …show more content…
In the duration of the book Atticus is attacked by the town for defending a black man. “The whole town has an uproar”, etc. after being in the courtroom and hearing both sides. The court proceedings in which Tom is found guilty because nobody believes in the innocence of a black man. After the court proceedings, a mob of men tried to gang up on Atticus. If Scout hadn’t have stepped in, it could have been a massacre. As Scout and Jem, Atticus’s children, walked home after a costume contest Jem was attacked by a knife wielding man because his father defended Tom. Later Tom Robinson dies when trying to escape prison because Atticus thought that since he was black he thought he could never get an appeal. This racial and class injustice affected all of Maycomb
Both To Kill Mockingbird and Remember the Titans had their communities play a crucial role into the development of the story. In the towns of Maycomb County and Alexandria, Virginia, many of the blacks experienced racial prejudice to which they became united with their other blacks. However their was always a leader who wanted to change the community for the better. Because of the similarities of To Kill a Mockingbird and Remember the Titans the audience can see how important community is in the development of a story.
The lack of knowledge in Maycomb about the outside world and their opinions about black people ingrains ‘Maycomb’s usual disease’ into their minds as they have no other opinions about black people. This is shown by the crowd’s outrage as they gather to lynch Tom, not knowing that he was innocent, but blinded by their pre-conceived ideas about black people, thinking that Tom obviously did it as he was black. Their prejudice and ignorance blinded them to the fact that the Ewell’s had manipulated him to their own benefit. Also, this prejudice causes the people who are prejudiced to be as prejudiced towards people who are not. This is shown by Mrs Dubose’s statement to Jem, “Your fathers no better than the niggers and trash he works for.” This shows that Atticus and his family are put on a lower level than normal citizens.
The movie "Remember the Titans" is a character education filled film for all ages. To summarize, this movie takes place in the year nineteen seventy-one and follows the issue of racism. Two high schools in the town of Alexandria, Virginia are being integrated into an African American and Caucasian school, and that mix includes the football team. The movie follows the story of their development. At first, the two races sit, talk, and practice separate. After one practice camp, and one passionate coach, the boys learn to respect and become friendly with each other. However, after the two week practice camp is up and they go back to school, the rest of the high school does not understand why the football players have changed. However, the football
This was a time of racial segregation, where blacks were not permitted to go to the same schools as the whites. They could not sit in the same restaurants, sit in the same part of the courthouse, use the same public restrooms or drink at the same water fountains. Everyone in Maycomb, from children to adults, accused Atticus and his children of being "black lovers." Atticus, with all this turmoil, stayed calm. He taught his children to accept the differences between one human being and another.
Remember the Titans is a film that was made in the year 2000, and it depicts many aspects of racial inequality. Racial inequality can be defined as discrimination based on race in opportunity for things such as socioeconomic mobility or access to certain goods and/or services. In the United States, this discrimination can have a strong effect on many aspects of society such as home life and employment. A large gap between Caucasians and African-Americans still exists in America. In this film, there are more white people than there are black people. In terms of major roles, there are about five black characters and more than fifteen white characters. Although the degree of importance of the black characters is pretty high, the quantity still does not compare to the white characters.
In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, racism is a major theme. Atticus Finch, the narrator’s father, defends a negro, Tom Robinson, in the court of law against a white man, Bob Ewell. Robinson had reportedly raped a young white girl, Mayella Ewell. But according to Robinson he had gone to help Mayella, as he often did, with work around the house. As he starts helping Mayella, she tries to get Tom to kiss her and will not let him out of the house. Bob Ewell sees this and chases Tom out of the house and accuses him of raping his daughter. Atticus goes against almost everyone in Maycomb County’s opinion in defending Tom Robinson. Throughout the course of the novel, racism effects many characters such as Tom and Helen Robinson, Scout and Jem Finch, and Mayella and Bob Ewell. All these characters had there lives
Discrimination has been present in many forms throughout history. The hate filled acts have been performed many times throughout the years, but was seen as socially unacceptable during and after the Civil Rights Movement. Remember the Titans takes place during the Civil Rights Movement, and showed how equality between races was still being fought for in the community. Remember the Titans showed how football created unity between the white and black community, but also showed the issues the black community faced. Remember the Titans depicts many forms of hate filled discrimination because it showed physical violence, social outcasting, and protesting on the belief one race was superior to another.
Harper Lee wrote, “when Atticus turned away from Mayella he looked like his stomach hurt.” during the trial. (chapter 18) People tried to force their way into prison and kill Tom Robinson. A group of white men including Mr Cunningham really wanted him killed as the town believed the white family’. They chose the Ewells over Tom Robinson because he is black. There were two churches in Maycomb, one for the blacks and one for the whites. This is another example of racism. They also had separate seating arrangements in the courthouse for white and black
Scout learns that by yielding to prejudice, we often hurt and cause strife unto others. For example, Scout is harassed and becomes the target of insults when her father decides to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. This is a plajurized essay. The hate felt towards black people by the majority of the Maycomb citizens causes them to bother and harass those who attempt to befriend the black people. Forgive me for stealing this essay. Scout realizes that the only reason she must undergo this torment is that her father is defending a black man, which has become taboo because of the corruption that racism has caused in many people. In addition, Scout watches Tom Robinson undergo unfair treatment and false accusations. Please dont tell my parents I stole this essay. Although Atticus provides the jury and the people of Maycomb with overwhelming evidence benefiting Tom, and ultimately proving him innocent, this is not enough to overcome the powers of hate and racism. Scout watches as the jury deliberates and convicts Tom Robinson of murder because he is a black man. This is a stolen essay. Although Scout witnesses a myriad of injustices occurring against black people, she also sees an exiguity of kind and compassionate movements towards black people.
In the courtroom that night it is revealed that the alleged crimes of Tom Robinson, a decent Negro man, most likely did not happen. As Atticus says in his closing argument, "The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place. It has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination, but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant. The defendant is not guilty, but somebody in this courtroom is” (Lee 271). Showing the clear innocence of Tom Robinson due to lack of evidence, Scout thinks that the white jury will do the right thing only to find out that they still, unfairly, accuse him of being guilty. Scout and her brother, Jem, get very upset when they hear the verdict, however, it allows them both to learn the lesson that the county is unfair towards anyone who is not white. The county demonstrates this evil racism due to the social divisions in Maycomb between the whites and the blacks and because the whites see the blacks as unworthy of rights and freedoms. It was not just the trial itself that displayed evil in the world, but the comments and arguments surrounding the case did
Reassuring that Tom Robinson’s case is dealt seriously, Atticus exchanges his identity as the noble man he is for the reputation of a villain that the town flames and calls names such as “nigger lover”. Sacrificing Atticus’s identity does not give him much room to speak during the case, in fact, without his title as an intelligent, helpful, and wealthy citizen, the people of Maycomb could potentially harm Atticus, which forces him to take a slightly more cautious approach with the people of Maycomb. Concerned with the matter of how her father finds that his actions are right when the majority of the town finds it is wrong. Atticus then responds strongly to Scout, saying that he could not live with himself or tell her and Jem to do the right thing if he did not take the case seriously himself. Atticus’s identity sacrificed for the intention of saving his kids from “Maycomb's usual disease” which is racism.
The movie Remember The Titans does a good job of showing the main issue of racism in that time period. It shows it well by showing both sides of them the black and the white and not just one like most movies. The team showed the town that your race doesn't matter it's your personality.This movie shows that even though people are different colors they can become your best
Firstly, Atticus demonstrated mental courage when he undertook the task of defending Tom Robinson, a black man who was wrongly accused of rape, in court. He had to persevere through many hardships in order to make a statement in the community. Atticus knew he would not win the case against the all white jury and like Mrs. Dubose in her struggle against morphine, Atticus lost before he even began. Nevertheless, Atticus knew that Tom was innocent and was willing to stand up for him because nobody else would. Since Atticus stayed true to himself and did only what is morally correct, he fought this case with great determination. He wanted the people of Maycomb to know the truth about what happened to Mayella Ewell, but even the truth would not free Tom Robinson. "That boy might go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told." (Lee, 146) Atticus showed true courage in going against Maycomb, a mostly prejudice town. He was given names like “nigger lover” and was looked down upon heavily but that did not stop him. On the other hand, Mayella Ewell decided to lie about the case because othe...
A small city nestled in the state of Alabama, Maycomb has got its faults, just like any other place in the world, but one of its main faults or (pg.88) “Maycomb's usual disease,” as Atticus calls it in the book is prejudice. Jem and Scout learn a lot about prejudice when a black man named Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white woman named Mayella Ewell and their father, Atticus, is called on to be his lawyer. They realize the hate that people have buried deep within their heart when they see a black man accused of doing something only because of his color. On pg.241, Scout starts understanding this and thinks, “Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.” As the case continues, up until the death of Tom Robinson, Jem and Scout learn more and more about prejudice and how the hate that people have towards others causes them to take wrong actions. They also see how unfair it is that a white man can get treated better and think of himself better than a black man only because he was born white. This prejudice and the trial cause Jem and Scout to get in argum...
The hatred that the citizens of Maycomb felt towards the black community extended to anyone who became involved with them, especially the Finch family because Atticus was appointed to defend Tom Robinson. Scout and Jem suffered the most from this hatred because their peers were children, who are nearly always less candid than adults. Most of the people who were unhappy with Atticus would just try to keep away from him, which was bad enough. The children however, verbally abused Scout and Jem. Scout responded to this with physical violence, even though it was discouraged by her father. The sad thing is that they were mistreated even by members of their family, like Scout’s cousin Francis.